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When the comparisons of costs are made the cost of benefits is included. State workers, particularly those at higher pay ranges and in the technical fields, are paid less than their counterparts in the private sector. Yes the benefits are somewhat better than in the private sector but they were negotiated in good faith over many years and were taken in place of pay increases. Consultants have their place in jobs that require certain skills that are needed on a part time basis or for very technical tasks where there are a limited number of people qualified to do the job but for full time positions to be contracted out they rarely are cost effective. I say this from experience having worked in the management services area of a large state institution. Consultants are not created equal and often come with political strings attached. Getting rid of them can be more difficult than firing a permanent employee.

so Larry, did you bring this up to Doyle too or are you just picking on Walker? Curious because the first date that you mention is 2010, Walker was only months into his term, so to be clear, this is a democratic policy that was started then.

Actually the State Engineering Association (SEA) has been writing about this exact subject, talking to legislators AND fighting for the taxpayers for approximately the past 15 years on this issue, it matters not who is in the Governor's seat. So the answer to your question is yes, SEA (aalong with myself and others within SEA) did bring this up during Doyle's term. I just happen to be the current leader of SEA, but have been active in other positions over the last 27 years. It took 10-15 years of actively exposing the kinds of events before the media has started to present it to the public. We could have mentioned many dates prior to 2010.

Grease the wheels for the cash machine. Outsourcing lacks the oversight and guiding legislation. The deep tunnel project brought them here and they wanted to stay.

Big building projects have an ugly side of leftover employees. Consulting groups pop up after the projects wrapup. After the First Wisconsin tower was built then we had to have that crazy bridge that sat for years unfinished. Next there was the bizarre idea to build a prison in Milwaukee. Money was spent to theorize converting Sherman Ave to a freeway to extended the stadium freeway. Widening streets and the crazy project to build Grand Ave. Had to have that big blue building with a bridge too low for the circus parade. Then it was the big arch bridge, deep tunnel project, etc.

Engineers are funny people that want to build and improve everything. We just haven't figured out what to do with them all when the projects are done. We got to do more to figure out how to recycle so the rebuilding doesn't ruin the green spaces.

We need to make other forms of engineering exciting to better support the private sector. Working out how to protect engineer's inventions more quickly to reform the patent law would help.

Government consulting becomes a lifestyle for many professions because the private sector is stagnant.

AS someone who works for Dept. of Corrections I see this all the time. A while back our facility advertised for an LTE (wages only, no bennies) nurse practitioner. Five applied. When they found out pay scale all five cancelled their interviews. Because of Act 10 wages were restricted and fell well below private sector. As a result the facility could only contract out with a nursing agency at double the cost of the LTE(limited term employee)position. In a different situation because of inability to get a position from legislature we now contract out a fulltime RN position at 25 dollars an hour more that a state position, including benefits.